Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 SENATE BILL 1617 By: Pugh
4
5 AS INTRODUCED
6 An Act relating to teachers; amending Section 2,
Chapter 359, O.S.L. 2022, as last amended by Section
7 2, Chapter 286, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 6-190.2), which relates to the Teacher
8 Empowerment Revolving Fund; allowing the fund to be
used to support compensation of teachers certified in
9 special education; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 13-
110, which relates to pay for certain special
10 education teachers; increasing amount to be paid to
teachers certified in special education; requiring
11 certain amount to be provided by certain school
district; directing the State Department of Education
12 to allocate funds from certain fund to implement
certain state matching fund requirement; providing an
13 effective date; and declaring an emergency.
14
15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
16 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 2, Chapter 359, O.S.L.
17 2022, as last amended by Section 2, Chapter 286, O.S.L. 2025 (70
18 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-190.2), is amended to read as follows:
19 Section 6-190.2. A. There is hereby created in the State
20 Treasury a revolving fund for the State Department of Education to
21 be designated the "Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund". The
22 revolving fund shall be a continuing fund, without legislative
23 appropriation, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall be
24 under the control and management of the State Department of
Req. No. 2411 Page 1
1 Education. Expenditures from the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund
2 shall be budgeted and expended as provided for in subsection B of
3 this section.
4 B. The State Department of Education shall utilize the funds
5 for the program:
6 1. To support public school districts that elect to participate
7 in assigning advanced, lead, and master teacher certificates as
8 outlined in Section 6-190 of this title. Funding shall be allocated
9 to school districts to provide the stipend amounts indicated for
10 advanced, lead, and master certificates as provided for in
11 subsection I of Section 6-190 of this title on a first-come, first-
12 served basis until the cash is exhausted for the school year; and
13 2. To support the compensation of teachers certified in special
14 education as provided for in Section 13-110 of this title, subject
15 to the stipend amounts required by paragraph 1 of this subsection
16 being fully funded, until the cash is exhausted for the school year.
17 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 13-110, is
18 amended to read as follows:
19 Section 13-110. A. Qualified and properly certified teachers
20 of special education shall be paid a minimum of five percent (5%)
21 ten percent (10%) above the prevailing wage paid teachers of
22 children who are nondisabled do not have disabilities in the same
23 public school district. Of the ten percent (10%) amount required by
24 this subsection, five percent (5%) shall be provided by the
Req. No. 2411 Page 2
1 employing school district, and five percent (5%) shall be provided
2 pursuant to subsection B of this section.
3 B. The State Department of Education shall allocate funds from
4 the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section
5 6-190.2 of this title to each school district in this state to
6 implement the state matching fund requirement of subsection A of
7 this section. Funding shall be allocated to each school district to
8 provide the five percent (5%) amount calculated pursuant to
9 subsection A of this section for every teacher certified in special
10 education.
11 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
12 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
13 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
14 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
15 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 2411 Page 3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.